Lost in the Woods
by LesboDyke
Summary: From a Tumblr Prompt. A dog has escaped from the pound, Emma and Ruby go to find it.


**Pauley: Another sweet fluff piece from a Tumblr prompt :-)  
Hope you enjoy it**

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"Ruby... Ummm..." Emma rubbed the back of her neck without thinking before catching herself and trying again.  
"Rubes, you know how good you are with dogs..." Ruby nodded, smiling at her girlfriends obvious discomfort before leaning in to kiss her cheek.  
"Heh... well... a dog has escaped from the pound... I was wondering if... You wanted to help me try and find her."

"Why have they asked the Sheriff to try and find a lost dog?" Ruby asked, slightly confused.

"Well... They say the dogs too wayward, they wanted me to find her so they could put her down... Or... well, or we could have her." Emma resumed rubbing the back of her neck, looking anywhere but Ruby. She knew Ruby had an affinity for dogs, and that she loved them, but she wasn't so sure if she actually wanted one.

"Lemur!" Ruby exclaimed, jumping onto Emma's lap and wrapping her arms around her neck.

"I'm taking that as a yes then..." Emma said with a smile, her hand immediately dropping to Ruby's waist and her head to her shoulder.

"Of course it's a yes! Come on!" Ruby half shouted, jumping up and grabbing Emma's hand, pulling her to her feet also.

~4 hours later~

"Emma..." The static of her hand held radio crackled.

"Rubes, we've been searching for four hours, I'm gonna say we give up." Emma replied with a sigh, knowing that her girlfriend would be really disappointed, but it was beginning to get dark.

"Emma! I've found her." Emma could feel her eyes going wide.  
"Red and white Husky? Answers to the name of Red?" Emma nodded, before remembering her girlfriend couldn't hear her.

"Yeah! Well done. If you can, bring her into town, and I'll meet you at Granny's."

"Gotcha." Ruby said, and then the radio returned to static. Emma took off at a run towards the diner, excited partly for the dog but mostly, it had been five hours since she had seen her girlfriend and she was sure that it was a violation of her human rights.

Somehow, Ruby managed to beat her there and she was sat on the step outside the diner, the big dog lying by her feet as Ruby scratched behind her ears.

"Ruby!" Emma called as she jogged forward. Ruby looks up, as did Red, who then bounded at the sheriff and jumped up, knocking her over.  
"Argh! Red! Down! Down girl!" The blonde cried as the dog began to lather 'kisses' (Read: Drool) all over Emma's face.

Ruby grabbed the scruff of Red's neck and pulled her back, at the same time shouting  
"Red! Sit!" Emma sat up to see the dog sitting at Ruby's feet, panting away with a doggy grin on her face.

"Well... you seriously do have an affinity for dogs Rubes. She loves you." Emma stated as Ruby leant down to pick her up.

"She loves you too..." Ruby said and Emma grinned ruefully, wiping the slobber off her face.

"A little too much." She stated, but she still reached down and ruffled the top of the dog's head good naturedly anyway. Red gave a friendly bark and Emma's grin grew wider.

"So we can keep her?" Ruby asked, looking a little like a lost kid. Like she expected Emma to demand that the dog go back to the pound.

"Rubes, I wouldn't have said you could come with me to find her if I wasn't going to let you keep her you big dummy." Emma stated, slapping Ruby's forehead lightly with the heel of her hand. Ruby let out a big grin and jumped at Emma herself, this time though, Emma's face really was lathered with actual kisses.

Red barked again, alerting the two of them to the Mayor walking around the corner. Ruby stepped backwards, her hand hovering protectively over Red's head.

"Good evening Sheriff." Regina said stiffly as she walked past the two. Red growled slightly before barking again, seemingly angry that Ruby and herself were being ignored. Regina's eyes flicked to the large dog, before to Ruby.  
"Ruby." She stated, before walking off. Emma's eyes went wide. As far as she had seen, Regina had never addressed Ruby. Ever.

"Good dog." She muttered, once more ruffling the top of Red's head. Red barked again, seemingly friendly this time.

"Come on then Red. Emma. Lets go." Ruby said, smiling, as she took Emma's hand in her own and her other hand on Red's head as they meandered towards home.

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**Pauley: If you wanna prompt me, do it here:  
lesbodyke(dot)tumblr(dot)com(forwardslash)ask**

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**Review please, love be spread!**


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